When you listen to Memo from Turner it´s obviuos that the bass and drums are not played by Bill and Charlie. They just don´t play like that. Still, it says so in different databases. Is there anybody who knows the facts about this?

There are a number of different versions of that song. One version IS the Stones...Its the slower, more R'n'B version.

JR

I believe the version of Memo from Turner on METAMORPHOSIS is The Stones with Al Kooper while the one on the Performance soundtrack has Ry Cooder, Steve Winwood, and Jim Capaldi backing Jagger.

I was going to say the same thing. The single version, billed to Mick Jagger solo, has Winwood and Capaldi. That is the movie version and the slower bluesier version. With the great slide.
The choppy version on Metamorphosis is considered the Stones version with Bill, Charlie and Keith. I think Al Kooper plays the lead guitar. I recall reading once that Keith (who was obviously not enamoured of the tune) approached the song real impatiently. And that is why it is so abrupt and jerky; fast.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

No, the Metamorphosis version, is yet another version. The Stones version only is available on Bootleg. Cant remember which one.

JR

Yes Stone-Relics, I know there are 3 main recognized versions. But isn't the metamorphosis version one of the "Stones" versions? With Kooper?

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

What about the London Years version,

The London Years version is the one from the soundtrack by Jagger solo. The bootleg version uses the same Jagger vocal as the soundtrack with a different backing track.

Not at the archives now, will check when I get home....will check when I get home...

JR

x



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-05 05:56 by Beelyboy.

The soundtrack version to me is the "über-version",
it's phantastic.
But I like the Metamorphosis version too.
Metamorphosis was my first Stones-record, I bought it very
cheap in a second-hand-store.
So that version was the first one I heard, maybe because
of that I like it too.
It is Keith on that version on guitar, no?
He really hated everything connected with "Performance" after
the Mick - Anita incident.

I doubt there are many people out there who thought the Metamorphosis version was superior to the soundtrack version, but bear in mind the Metamorphosis version was not something the band wanted to see released. They ran through it in a session the same way they ran through Act Together a year after Ronnie's version came out. It wasn't slated for Sticky Fingers or anything and they were pissed when Klein released it. The soundtrack recording is a masterpiece and was supposed to be the definitive version of the song. The fact that it was Mick and not The Stones has more to do with the band's decision to distance themselves from Mick's movie when the project had been conceived as their own vehicle starting with the proposed ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE Nicholas Ray project and Andrew's desire to film A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Decca was putting the Mick solo version on Stones compilations for many years before ABKCO compiled The London Years.

Beelyboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the version from the movie with the session
> players is far superior; keith, or someone, for
> whatever reasons, made a comparative mess out of
> the version on metamorphosis...the movie version
> with cooder is sublime in every way...
> one of the most powerful rock tracks ever recorded
> imo...
>
> here's a fairly good quality clip:
>
> [www.talkleft.com]
>
>
> in comparison, the metamorphosis version is cheesy
> and limp...
> a friend, not a deep stones fan but with a great
> ear, bought metamorphosis
> specifically for 'memo' and was hugely
> disappointed, and i couldn't disagree with her...
>
> i don't know the particular bitchy politics that
> made them, or keith, or whomever, want to get ry
> cooder or jack nitsche off that track...as jack
> had recorded with them many times previously in
> their rca l.a. sessions, starting very early
> on....produced the T.A.M.I. show etc...i
> believe...
> and ry had added mando to 'love in vain' from lib
> and that classic slide on 'sister morphine' from
> sf...possibly other stuff...
>
> i know there's some controversy and confusion as
> to just who exactly played what on which
> version...but the movie cut is one of the most
> powerful rock cuts ever in history...and i'm sure
> that's ry cooder on slide personally...the
> metamorphosis cut, again imho, a pale wannabe
> without the soul or power, not anywhere even close
> to the original soundtrack miracle...imo...
> it's scary to see that the boyz are not
> collectively immune to absolutely descontructing
> and essentially ruining one of the truly scariest
> and deepest rock cuts ever...and most brilliantly
> written and performed...
>
> get the soundtrack version or skip it entirely...
> the original version of memo is one of the best
> tracks ever...
> that poweful and deserving of respect...and that
> breathtaking and liberating.
> and even scary.
> the musicians knew who they were working with and
> gave it a better approximation of a cool stonesy
> sound than the stones themselves did when they cut
> it up, deleted stuff and sloppily painted over a
> masterpiece...
> ___________________________________
>
> cooder site has this listing re: performance
> soundtrack:
>
> Produced by : Jack Nitzsche
>
> Musicians :
>
> Ry Cooder - bottleneck guitar, dulcimer (where
> shown)
> Randy Newman - conductor, organ, vocals
> Russ Titelman - guitar
> Jerry Scheff - bass
> Gene Parsons - drums
> Merry Clayton - vocals
> Buffy Saint-Marie - mouth bow, vocals
> Mick Jagger - vocals
> The Last Poets - vocals


Nice to see so many fans as passionate about Memo as I am. I discovered the soundtrack version on a cheap Geman compilation cassette that also introduced me to We Love You something like 22 years ago, long before I ever saw the movie or bought the soundtrack CD. Memo From Turner is one of my top 5 all time favorites, period.

Amazing to me that it is not widely known. Is there a better obscurity from any A-list hard rock band? Even Dylan's Series of Dreams is widely known among his fan base.

As a Side note:

A) I saw a very short-lived punk band called Texass do a smoking cover of Memo From Turner as an encore at a club show in the early '90's. No reason to think they ever recorded it.

I wanted to love the Dramarama cover of Memo featuring guest star Mick Taylor but it is nothing to get too excited about.

The Metamorphosis version is with Jagger, Richards, Wyman, Watts and Al Kooper on guitar.

The soundtrack version is by Jagger, Ry Cooder, Russ Titelman, Jerry Scheff, Gene Parsons and Jimmy Miller. Personally find this one of the best tracks ever done by a Stone.

There's a third, encredible version, and that is the very slow version as found on the Black Box. It is as far as I know unknown who plays on it.It was produced as a demo by Jimmy Miller, but it is unknown who played on the demo.

Mathijs

Would the cheap German cassette be SATISFACTION released by Teldec? If memory serves Citadel was also on it.

First time I heard it was the singles collection. I loved it, had no idea where it came from. Then I saw a clip of Performance in 25x5. (I was 16 in '89).

Of all the versions, the real one is the best (the one on singles collection, the soundtrack for Performance, of which I now have and the movie too).

Mick's first solo song! I wonder if Mick'll ever do a compilation (obviously not a 'greatest hits', but he could scrounge enough for a compliation).

Do Jagger/Richards share the writing credits?

...Misbred Grey Executive...

I have always prefered the Metamorphosis version, even though it >is< choppy.
But, yes this is the one I discovered first.
I like its powerful rhythm guitar drive and the nice, melancholic melody of the lead guitar on the chorus. MJ's performance is more messy and less impressive than the single version, but to me the other qualities make up for this.

Anything Mick or Keith wrote prior to 1984 had to carry a Jagger/Richards credit, Memo From Turner included. Lonely at the Top was the very last non-Stones song to carry a Jagger/Richards credit.

Rocky Dijon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anything Mick or Keith wrote prior to 1984 had to
> carry a Jagger/Richards credit, Memo From Turner
> included. Lonely at the Top was the very last
> non-Stones song to carry a Jagger/Richards credit.

ALL Stones songs written by either Jagger or Richards are credited Jagger/Richards. Thus, if Jagger writes a song with Wood, the credits will read Jagger/Richards/Wood. Lonely at the Top is of course a Stones song, but the only official version is recorded and released by Jagger.

Mathijs

Is the soundtrack verison the same as The London Years version?

"Rape, murder, it's just a shot away..."

Mathijs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> There's a third, encredible version, and that is
> the very slow version as found on the Black Box.
> It is as far as I know unknown who plays on it.It
> was produced as a demo by Jimmy Miller, but it is
> unknown who played on the demo.
>
> Mathijs

This 3rd version is the one that shares the same vocal as the official soundtrack release?

If so, it really sounds like Steve Winwood is playing on it, the piano and organ especially. Even the guitar and bass has the winwood feel to them though.

Jagger, Winwood, Cooper, Miller is a possible line up!? When was the demo recorded?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-11-30 22:17 by His Majesty.

Man am I happy to see others who feel so strong about the "real" memo version. The soundtrack version. I LOVE that cut and am surprised once again that it is Jagger himself who seems to sabotage his onw leagcy. I mean those lyrics!!! IMO they rank right up there with Sympathy for the Devil. The vibe is superb. and it is surely one of the most lethal videos ever done.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

yep I agree - definately Sympathy-esque vocals from Mick, creepy and typical Mick for that time. It's as if he's walked out of Olympic studios straight into Memo sessions....superb!!!

The movie Goodfellas has the riff - very very cool...

And this "3rd" version??? never heard it or about it ...?

yeah I am intrigued by this 3rd version too. I surely have it because every album that has it I have; must dig it out.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Luke33 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> And this "3rd" version??? never heard it or about
> it ...?

It has the same vocal performance found on the official soundtrack version, but a completely different backing. I think with Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi of Traffic.

This from Russ Titelman... [209.85.135.104]

"In 1969, you found yourself playing guitar on 'Memo From Turner', for Jack Nitzsche's soundtrack to the Mick Jagger film, Performance.

Actually, the core of the studio band on that record was Randy Newman, Ry Cooder and myself, and it was recorded in Los Angeles at Western Studios. But Jagger wasn't there during our sessions. The band Traffic had done a recording of 'Memo From Turner', but Jagger and Nitzsche didn't like it. So we replaced their track, playing along to Jagger's existing vocal and a click track. I played the Keith Richards-sounding "jing-a-jing" on rhythm guitar, and Ry Cooder did the slide guitar parts.

And then Jack and I wrote 'Gone Dead Train', and Randy Newman sang it, and we cut it live. They needed a song for the credits and Jack said he wanted to lyrically use all this voodoo and blues terminology for this story of this faded rock star, a burnt-out character who can't get it up anymore. I saw the track part as Chuck Berry-like in feel but more raucous."

my god - many thanks.
This would have to be the most mysterious "Stones-related" track EVER !!

Luke33 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> my god - many thanks.
> This would have to be the most mysterious
> "Stones-related" track EVER !!

Someone has it as part of their 1968 collection over at the buy/trade forum.

It sounds excellent to me, strange how the backing changes the perception of the vocals.

ssprings Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do Jagger/Richards share the writing credits?

Yup.

And if you see the movie, the lyrics make sense. It's sort of like a one-song-rock-opera-type thing. There is no 'video' for it per say, it's all part of the movie Performance.

Without seeing the flick, the song don't mean dick.